Familiar with the hit song “Cough Syrup” from Young the Giant? Then you should thank co-writer and former member Ehson Hashemian. Hailing from Southern California, Ehson left YTG in 2009 to forge his own path as a singer/songwriter under the name Backwards Forwards, and in 2023, decided to present himself more earnestly under his own and very memorable name. And now, after a slew of critically acclaimed pseudo-band and solo releases, he presents his latest and perhaps most personal work — the highly anticipated Believe. Let’s take a listen to Ehson Hashemian’s recently released, acoustic-y, alternative rock collection, and hit the highlights.
Wait. What’s Believe all about?
Per Ehson, “The central theme is mainly being honest with oneself when facing extreme setbacks, and finding a way to believe that you can still find a way to get by with life. The songs are all kind of meant to inspire and motivate the listener when feeling like you are stuck, and to help you escape into a more optimistic state that things will get better.”
Listening, and talking about it (i.e., hitting those highlights).
Believe begins with “Accept,” and it’s a more subtle, post-rock-ish guitar-layering loop and assertive, cymbal–driven drum beat. Ehson’s voice is one of relatability, with a microscopic twang and change-yearning richness. It calls out tenaciously in the dark, but doesn’t deny, and is perhaps weary from, the presumed dastardly response. And after the last bar, the song ends with a final lyric and muzzled cymbal crash.
The title track, with its delay-dancing guitar flutters, presents an almost Jim Kerr-esque quality to Ehson’s playfully wanting and waning voice. It comes from a place of strength, but realizing it stands alone, quietly and shamefully retreats.
“Counting on You” features a subdued vocal delivery with a casually busy beat and repeating, layered guitar sketching. It’s a person at the proverbial bottom, testing his surroundings, and singing a way through an impassable emotional thicket.
“Feel” is higher register guitar plucking until the band arrives with its ride cymbal rushing and additional guitar grounding. The vocal is something similar to Thom Yorke – it bends, wavers, and haunts the melody with untested human feeling.
“In the Open” features muted and delayed guitar pluckings with Ehson’s quietly distraught delivery. This pattern continues as the singer testifies under encroaching emotional tonnage.
“Live and Learn” is sliding acoustic guitar and electric guitar warbling. It’s like walking through a dense forest in the early hours, disturbing still sleeping and comfortably nested birds with hard, hiking boot footfalls.The cymbals, the washing, waking chaos; the guitars, the panicked, fluttering escape. Excellent track.
“Thinking About It” sounds a bit electronic, but I believe this is clever use of higher register guitar plucks. It laments in its meek delivery. It ponders under strange, misshapen weights. It finds itself in a toothed trap of endlessly biting ruminations.
Album closer “When It’s Time” is more sincerely acoustic with punctuating, water-colliding cymbals. It’s steady, solemn, introspective, foreshadowing and forewarned. It’s the beleaguered, impatient spirit that only achieves its preferred state after allowing for calm, humility, and rest. It’s the arrival of clarity after unnecessary and self-inflicted emotional wallopings. It’s the anthem of your arrival, which occurred when you felt inspired to arrive.
But is it good?
Believe is simultaneously soft and strong. It’s a collection of emotional impasses spiritually navigated through music. It’s organic and carefully paced, but blustery while expelling its patience. It’s guarded but vulnerable. Bulletproof but bleeding. It’s a hand that may suffer a thorn, but grasps tenaciously for the bouquet. Believe is another exceptional offering from a talented contemporary singer songwriter, and we love every single musical hope and eulogy. HIGHLY recommended.
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BELOW: Listen to Ehson Hashemian and check him out on YouTube, Instagram, Apple Music, and Spotify. Please support Ehson Hashemian by visiting his website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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